Photo bioreactors for growing photosynthetic cultures such as algae are known in the art. It is a challenge to couple the light efficiently in the photosynthetic culture containing liquid. U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,297 for instance discloses a sealed double tank assembly for use in artificially cultivating photosynthetic substances such as chlorella. Accelerated growth of highly pure culture is obtained by means of a combination of a plurality of nozzles to emit mixed gases of carbon dioxide and ammonia, sources of light for intermittent application of light substantially similar to natural light, and agitator vanes for agitation of culture fluid in an inner tank, and an outer tank for temperature control. Here, the light source is not solar light, but is a xenon lamp, which is, according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,297, substantially similar to the natural light. U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,703 discloses a photo bioreactor for cultivating a photosynthetic organism. This photo bioreactor provides features that allow cleaning of the light source. The photo bioreactor has a container for containing a liquid culture medium for cultivating photosynthetic organisms and light-emitting tubes mounted within the container. The photo bioreactor also has cleaning devices mounted within the container for cleaning the outer surface of the light-emitting tubes and actuators for actuating the cleaning devices. The light tubes may be neon tubes.
The above photo bioreactors apply artificial lighting. U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,086 uses solar light and discloses a fish feeding plant utilizing a solar ray collecting device and a algae cultivating device installed in the sea, a lake, or a pond, etc. The plant comprises a structure made of cylinders and constructed by vertically setting up cylinders in water and connecting the respective cylinders with each other by use of horizontal cylinders, a solar ray collecting device installed on the water surface above the structure, and a culture device for cultivating algae or the like installed in water. Solar rays are collected by the solar ray collecting device and are being transmitted to the culture device for cultivating the algae or the like through an optical conductor cable and employed as a photo-synthesis light source for the algae or the like. The culture device cultivates the algae by utilizing carbon dioxide CO2, phosphorus, nitrogen, nutritious salt, etc. contained in water.
WO 05068605 describes a reactor for cultivating phototrophic micro organisms, wherein the sunlight is introduced in compartment walls by using one or more moveable collimators. The compartment walls are transparent and from there, light is distributed into the reactor. Such a reactor has an improved collection of radiation and an improved distribution of the radiation into the reactor, thereby providing a more efficient reactor and a more efficient cultivation of phototrophic micro organisms.
Further, Terry et al. in Enzyme Microb. Technol., 1985 (7), 474-487, Tredici et al. in Biotech. and Bioeng. 1998 (57), 187-197 and Mayer et al. in Biotech. and Bioeng. 1964 (VI), 173-190 describe designs for photo bioreactors.